In July, we announced that Digismoothie is building a US presence, with a European edge. American merchants kept asking us how to get Europe right, and the next step was a dedicated person to lead those conversations.
Today, that presence has a name. Roberto "Rob" Alvarez has joined Digismoothie as Sales Director. He leads our conversations with US brands planning their move into Europe, and supports selected opportunities on our side of the Atlantic.
Who Rob is
Rob has spent more than 15 years leading enterprise sales, partnerships and go-to-market strategy across startups, scaleups and global companies. At Avast, he ran the US market as Country Manager, then led North America and LATAM. Most recently, he was Chief Revenue Officer at digital product agency STRV and then at 3D and AR platform Vectary, where he built the sales organization from the ground up.
You can connect with Rob on LinkedIn.
Five questions for Rob
You've led revenue at Avast, STRV and Vectary. Why Digismoothie?
The people. I like working with people who care about the work, question assumptions, and find creative ways to solve problems. That’s what I found at Digismoothie.
My background helps too. I’ve worked in a lot of different industries, and as an American living in Europe, I know what US brands expect and what changes once they start selling here. Digismoothie knows these markets and how to build for them, so my experience and theirs fit together well.
Europe can be a good next step for US brands, but there’s a big gap between seeing demand and building a business here. Our team in Europe can turn a plan into a store that works for local customers, so brands don’t have to learn every lesson the hard way.
What do US brands most often underestimate about Europe?
How much changes from one market to the next. A payment setup that works well in the US can cause problems in Europe if customers don’t see a local payment method they trust. You have to check what customers expect in each market you enter.
Localization is the other one. Has someone just translated the words, or has someone who knows the market checked that the copy sounds natural, explains why the product is worth buying, and answers the questions customers actually ask?
Rules also change from country to country: the EU’s new packaging regulation (PPWR) has applied since August 2026, yet brands still have to register their packaging separately in every EU country they ship to.
Which brands should talk to you first?
US brands with a proven product, a business that works at home, and some sign of demand in Europe. That could be existing orders, inbound interest, or customers asking when you’ll ship to their country. That gives us something real to build on.
You also need someone to own the expansion and a budget behind it. Launching is only the start. After that, the team has to listen to customers, fix what isn’t working, and keep improving.
You don’t need every answer before we talk, but you should know why you’re looking at Europe.
What does a first conversation with you look like?
I start with why Europe, why now, and what you’re already seeing. We’ll look at where your customers are, how you serve them today, and what’s holding growth back. I also want to know what success looks like for you.
Then we look at whether Europe fits your wider plans. A market can look attractive and still be the wrong move for where the business is right now.
You should leave knowing which market to look at first, what needs fixing, and whether it’s worth going further. If it’s a good fit, we agree on a next step. How fast that happens depends on where you’re starting from, but I want to get you to a clear decision quickly.
What's one piece of advice for a founder with Europe on the roadmap?
Start with one market and let your customer and order data help you choose it. Look at how similar brands expanded and what they learned, but set a pace that fits your own resources and goals. Get the first market working before you add a second.
Talk to Rob
If you're a US brand with Europe on the roadmap, or you're already selling there and it feels harder than it should, Rob is your first call. Get in touch or message him on LinkedIn.
